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Easy Korean Ramen Bowl (VG) from Cook Share Eat Vegan

By Erin Brown
Related Categories: Cookbook Confidential

“The success of this dish hinges entirely on the sauce. Who knew that peanut butter and gochujang (a fiery hot Korean paste) would be such a formidable pairing? I was so taken with it when I first discovered it that I made this dish (or a variation on it) every week for almost six months. Nothing could take the sheen off this number; I couldn’t get enough. Should you wish to forgo the ramen element, feel free, because truthfully this recipe is also magnificent with steamed white rice – just don’t put it underneath the sauce or else it will be swamped.” Áine Carlin, author of Cook Share Eat Vegan

½ tablespoon coconut oil

1 red onion, roughly chopped

1 large carrot, sliced diagonally

1 large parsnip, sliced diagonally

2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

1 tablespoon miso paste

1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

½ tablespoon soy sauce, plus extra if needed

½ tablespoon maple syrup

1.5 litres water

15 x 10cm piece of kombu seaweed

Handful of green beans, halved

½ head of cauliflower, broken into florets

100g firm tofu, cut into cubes

250g fine rice noodle nests

Sea salt flakes

Quick pickled cucumber

1 small cucumber, halved lengthways andsliced into ribbons

½ tablespoon sugar

½ tablespoon sea salt flakes

Juice of ½ lime (or lemon)

½ tablespoon Zingy Yuzu and Miso Dressing (seepage 18 of Cook Eat Share Vegan)

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

To serve

2 spring onions, sliced

Small handful of fresh coriander leaves,

roughly chopped

1 nori seaweed sheet, shredded

To make the pickled cucumber, add the cucumber pieces to a shallow bowl, sprinkle over the sugar and salt and pour over the lime juice and yuzu dressing. Toss to combine and set aside until needed.

Heat the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and parsnip to the pan, season with a little salt and sauté for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened.

Add the gochujang, miso, smooth peanut butter, soy sauce and maple syrup to the pan, pour over the measured water and stir in the kombu.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5–7 minutes. Remove the kombu and finely slice, then add to the pan with the beans and cauliflower and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 5 minutes to warm through. Season with salt, adding a splash of soy sauce if needed. Divide the rice noodle nests among 4 deep bowls, then ladle over the stew so that the noodles are fully submerged. Leave the noodles for 2–3 minutes to soften in the broth before using chopsticks to break them up further and mix everything together thoroughly. Stir the chilli flakes and sesame seeds through the quick pickled cucumber and use it to top the ramen bowls together with the spring onion, coriander and nori. Serve.